Labour's pink bus arrives in Ealing

Labour's pink 'Woman to Woman' bus was in Ealing on Wednesday 4th March. Rupa joined Diane Abbott, who's been MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987. When asked about the controversial pink bus, Rupa said the colour was a detail and that she is glad that it has started people talking about women's issues.

Oona King, Baroness King of Bow, Julian Bell, the Leader of Ealing Council, Dr Onkar Sahota, London Assembly Member for Ealing and Hillingdon and a number of local women also came along, some with babies and buggies.

The bus is on a mission to combat House of Commons statistics, which show that 1,160,000 women in London did not vote in the last General Election.

Rupa and company joined the bus at Ealing Hospital, where campaigners were gathered to rally against the impending closure of Ealing's only maternity unit. They hope to save the state-of-the-art facility that serves women of the borough in a climate of ever increasing birth rates.

Rupa said:

“I have already promised to save Ealing and Charing Cross A&Es and Ealing's maternity unit from the Tory axe. But today has hardened my resolve to work for and further serve the interests of the women of Ealing."

Diane Abbott said:

"People are very concerned about the future of the NHS, men and women. People are very concerned about the cost of childcare, zero hours contracts, low pay and also people are very concerned about tax dodging, and we have a message on all those things."

Today's conversations with women in Ealing will help expand Labour women's policy, which already promises to help balance work with care commitments, promote flexible working, tackle domestic violence and increase pay transparency.